The Rafale's brightest hope: Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi, who came to Paris for a controversial state visit in December. By the time he packed up his tent, France and Libya jointly announced an "exclusive negotiation" for the sale of 14 Rafales as part of a $6.7 billion arms package. This deal probably won't fall apart.

Will Qaddafi's order wipe the stain from the Rafale's fuselage? Not entirely. "It's important to show the world that the plane can sell, but it's got to be sold to a real air force," says analyst Tim Ripley of Jane's Defence Weekly. Libya's clearly doesn't qualify. But in this business, you take any business you can get.